Using Blindfold Puzzles in Chess?

This week on Perpetual Chess we talk about chess improvement with one of the premier chess trainers in the world! GM R.B. Ramesh has worked with many of India’s top players including GMs Vidit Gujirathi, Harikrishna and Adhiban. I caught up with Ramesh on the night before he would commence a training camp with one of India’s Olimpiad teams. This team included Ramesh’s star student, GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, who is one of the top junior players in the world and recently made headlines by defeating Magnus Carlsen. GM Ramesh is an author, including of the excellent new book, Improve Your Chess Calculation. In our conversation, we discussed Chess in India as it prepares to host the Olimpiad, the keys to Praggnanandhaa’s success, plus Ramesh answers many listener questions related to chess improvement. There is always so much to learn from GM Ramesh, and this conversation is no exception! 

Prior Interviews: 

Episode 144 with R.B. Ramesh

Episode 166 with GM R.B. Ramesh and GM Jacob Aagaard 

0:00- GM Ramesh joined me shortly before starting a training camp for one of India’s Olimpiad teams. How does he prepare materials for these phenoms? 

08:00- What was it like to work with GM Praggnanandhaa as a younger chess student?

14:00- GM Ramesh has written that training should be more challenging than competing OTB. Is this approach feasible for adult improvers? 

16:30- Ramesh shares visualization advice for adult improvers. 

23:00- Patreon mailbag question- “At what rating is it appropriate to begin training with blindfold puzzles?” 

Mentioned: Visualize series on Chessable 

30:00- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Aimchess.com. Aimchess’ algorithm reviews your games and gives you actionable advice on how to improve your game. Check it out for free and if you choose to subscribe you can use the code Perpetual30 to save 30%.

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31:30- GM Ramesh considers Anand a personal hero and now knows him personally, Is he surprised by GM Anand’s success at 2022 Norway Chess?

39:00- How did Ramesh react the first time GM Praggnanandhaa beat GM Magnus Carlsen? 

43:00- Patreon mailbag question- “Will Ramesh do a Chessable course? How many books will be in his series?” 

45:30- Patreon mailbag question- “What is Ramesh’s advice for handling tough losses?” 

52:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What are some common calculation mistakes that even GMs make?” 

55:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What can we learn from the success of another of Ramesh’s students, WGM Divya Deshmukh? 

57:30- Perpetual Chess is brought to you in part by Chessable.com. You can find the free “Endgame Strategy” Lesson from GM Sam Shankland here: 

https://www.chessable.com/course/115673

59:30- Are chess players as a whole getting better at calculation? 

Mentioned: Free excerpt of Ramesh’s book here. 

Mentioned: GM John Nunn’s Secrets of Practical Chess

1:07:00- How does Ramesh define “the drawback principle”? 

1:10:00- What advice can Ramesh share for knowing when to stop calculating within a variation? 

1:14:00- Patreon mailbag question: “What does Ramesh observe from Firouzja’s phenomenal success? Does he have any Candidates predictions?”

1:17:00- Patreon mailbag question: “Does Ramesh have an opinion on the fact that Indian players can no longer compete in the British Championship” (which Ramesh won in 2002)?

1:19:00- With the Chess Olimpiad set to take place in Chennai in July, Ramesh shares his thoughts on the explosion of chess in India. 

1:24:00- In our last interview, Ramesh gave a ton of book recommendations. Is he keeping up with new chess books? 

Mentioned: Judit Polgar’s Quality Chess Series, New in Chess Books, Quality Chess Books, Thinker’s Publishing 

1:28:00- Thanks so much to Ramesh for sharing some of his chess expertise. Here are links for ways to keep up with him:

Improve Your Chess Calculation 

ProChessTraining.com 

Twitter 

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